As of 2 May 2011, 235 People, who Attended Aulander School in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s (the classes of 1940 through 1963), will be Present for Our Reunion on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at the gym in Aulander! ALL IS WELL!

TIME: 3:30 P. M. Until. DINNER SERVED: 5 P. M.

How many people are planning to appear in kelly green and white?

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For enlarged photos go to just below the photo of Mr. Acree and click on the Flickr site. All photos on Flickr can be enlarged. All photos on the Aulander main page are also on Flickr

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On the Aulander main page, in the left hand column, beginning with the photo of the Aulander Fire Department and Rescue Squad and those photos that follow it, double click on the photo and it enlarges.

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COST OF REUNION DINNER, on Saturday, MAY 14, 2011,is $18 PER PERSON

THE COMBINED COST OF THE MEAL, GRATUITY, TABLES AND CHAIRS, DELIVERY, SET UP, AND PORTABLE TOILETS REQUIRES COST OF $18.00 PER PERSON FOR THOSE ATTENDING THE MAY 14, 2011 REUNION.

Please mail your checks made out to the person identified as collecting money for your class, no later than April 22, 2011.Many of costs identified above have to be paid before the Reunion, thus, we need the money to pay for many of the above services.

Members of the committee are paying, from their own pockets, for stamps, envelopes, paper, as well as table cloths and decorations.

THIRD ANNUAL REUNION DINNER FOR PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED AULANDER SCHOOL IN THE 1940s, 1950s, & 1960s .

SATURDAY, 14 MAY 2011 at the AULANDER GYM.DINNER AT 5:00 P.M.VISITING 3:30 TO 9:30 P.M.

AULANDER SCHOOL REUNION WEBSITE:http://aulander.blogspot.com [please check the website occasionally for newly posted updates on the reunion as well as new information and photos]

Please let us know as soon as possible about your attendance, mail your checks and helps us secure the necessary services, arrangements & reserve the food.Please let us know YOUR DECISION NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2010 and mail your check to the assigned person no later than April 22, 2011.

Again, we will not have a formal program so that everyone enjoys the maximum amount of time to visit with each other.We have not finalized the food yet, however, the cost will be determined by the size of the group.

On the reunion weekend, over the past two years, some of the individual classes have had a separate mean together.The class contact people organize these events and they are exclusively by individual classes.

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Classes from the 1940s to 1954; also the Classes of 1956 and 1957, make out checks to and mail to:

Rachel DEMPSEY Morris

P. O. Box 344

Aulander, North Carolina 27805

252-345-3601

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Class of 1955 make out checks to and mail to:

Becky DILDAY RAWLS

202 Sheriff Garrett Road

Ahoskie, NC 27910

252-345-6272

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Class of 1958 make out checks to and mail to:

Donald LEGGETT

3482 NC Hwy. 305

Rich Square, NC 27869

252-539-2489

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Class of 1959 make out checks to and mail to:

Anita TERRY Taylor

2000 Miller Ave

Chesapeake, VA 23320

757-420-4472

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Class of 1960 make out checks to and mail to:

Theresa LASSITER Brinkley

932 Menola-St. John’s Rd.

Woodland, NC 27897

252-587-4521

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Class of 1961 make out checks to and mail to:

Jean PEELE Rhea

103 Albemarle Drive

Ahoskie, NC 27910

252-332-6214

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Class of 1962 make out checks to and mail to:

Turk ASKEW

PO Box 657

Aulander NC 27805

252-455-0571

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Class of 1963 make out checks to and mail to:

Daniel Earl LASSITER

PO Box 37

Aulander, NC 27805

Phone: 252-345-2621

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THIRD ANNUAL REUNION DINNER FOR PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED AULANDER SCHOOL IN THE 1940s, 1950s, & 1960s [with a special invitation to those who did not graduate.If you wish to attend contact your class representative listed below.]

SATURDAY, 14 MAY 2011 at the AULANDER GYM.DINNER AT 5:00 P.M.VISITING 3:30 TO 9:30 P.M. [site of numerous Aulander boys and girls Bertie County championships and countless victories by our champion Green Demons]

Food at the Reunion Dinner will be provided by Parker's Barbecue of Wilson, North Carolina!

AULANDER SCHOOL REUNION WEBSITE:http://aulander.blogspot.com [please check the website occasionally for newly posted updates on the reunion as well as new information and photos]

Please let us know as early as possible about your attendance, it helps us make arrangements & reserve the food.Please let us know YOUR DECISIONNO LATER THAN FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2010.

Again, we will not have a formal program so that everyone enjoys the maximum amount of time to visit with each other.We have not finalized the food yet, however, the cost will be determined by the size of the group.When the dinner arrangements have been completed you will received a communication, either by mail, email or phone call.We assure you that we are motivated to secure the best food possible for the least money.

On the reunion weekend, over the past two years, some of the individual classes have had a class breakfast or a lunch together.The class contact people will take the responsibility for organizing these events as well as informing their classmates of the time and place.These reunion events are exclusively by individual classes.

Class contacts fromlast year have agreed to help again this year plus new contact people for the 1960s classes.We welcome any of you who wish to help with this year’s event.Your help will be very much appreciated. Alums from 1951 through 1954 please contact Rachel Dempsey Morris,Class of 1957 listed below. Thus far, the following people have agreed to help with the dinner this year:

Addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for the Class of 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963 are listed below. If you see a missing classmate for whom you have an address, phone number or email address please send it to Sonny at earl.bell3@gmail.com. Email addresses are the most helpful because that makes communication with the person faster and saves money on stamps, envelopes and printing. Thanks for your help.

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1960 Aulander Football Champions - Team

Thanks to Jean Peele Rhea, Class of 1961, for the Photo

1960 Aulander Football Champions

Thanks to Jean Peele Rhea, Class of 1961, for the Photo

PEL JONES - 1961 - IN MEMORIAM

MANY THANKS TO PEL and MARGARET JONES FOR THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN AULANDER

Aulander Baby Parade 1939

Diploma of James Milton Harmon, 1939 - Thanks to Gail Jones for the Photo of Her Dad's Diploma

1939 Class Signatures and Who's Who - Thanks to Gail Jones for This Information

Aulander High School, Aulander, Bertie County, NC - Class of 1939

THE CLASS OF 1939 at AULANDER HIGH SCHOOL and THEIR FAMILIES:[Thanks to Gail Jones for the initial list of class members]

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[as they appear in the United States Census of 1930, either living in Aulander or in other adjoining townships in Bertie and Hertford Counties, North Carolina.In fact, the students in the Class of 1939 lived in one of three Bertie or Hertford County Townships: Mitchell’s (Bertie), St. Johns (Hertford) or Snake Bite (Bertie).Unless otherwise indicated, all members of the class, listed below,lived in the Town of Aulander.]

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JACOB C. BATTS, JR., age 7.his parents were: Jacob C., Sr. [59] and Stella M. [52] Batts, living at 3 Main Street, with a brother named Samuel Batts, the man who cooked the best cheeseburgers and meals in eastern North Carolina!Jacob C. Batts, Sr’s occupation is listed as: operating a Repair Shop.

WILLIE RAY BURCH, age 9, her parents were George H.[41] and Mary E. [44] Burch, who lived onat 290 Eason Swamp Rd or Hexlena Road, Mitchell’s Township, Bertie County, NC [the two roads run together in the census record].George H. Burch’s occupation is listed as:Farmer.

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LILLIAN CHARLTON, her family must have moved to Aulander or the adjoining area after 1930.

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FLORENCE COOKE, age 7, her parents are Jack E. [49] & Myrtle [35] Cooke at 164 Broad Street, Aulander, Bertie County, NCJack E. Cooke’s occupation is listed as:Cashier in a Bank.I remember Ms. Myrtle as one of those rare people who treated kids like they were her equal.HONORS:Class Secretary.Salutatorian.

FANNIE E. DAVIDSON, age 8, parents are James C [48] and Ethel J. [35] Davidson, living at 232 Aulander Road in the Roxobel area, Mitchell’s Township, Bertie County NC, she must have had a substantial ride to school or stayed in Aulander with relatives during the school week.James C. Davidson’s occupation is listed as: Farmer.Ethel J. Davidson was born in Virginia.

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HERBERT DAVIDSON, age 13 (could be a misprint), brother of Fannie E. Davidson, his parents are James C. [48] and Ethel J. [35] Davidson, living at 232 Aulander Road in the Roxobel area, Mitchell’s Township, Bertie County, NC, they could have moved to Aulander after 1930, or he would have had a substantial ride to school, or, perhaps, stayed in Aulander with relatives during the school week. James C. Davidson’s occupation is listed as: Farmer.

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MARY DREW, age 7, living with Lilden [50] and Mary [32] Early at 218 Oil Mill Street in Aulander, Mitchell’s Twp., Bertie County, NC.Lilden Early is listed as:Merchant in General Store.

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ALBERT HALE, age 7, son of Ernest B. [36] and Cora [41] Hale, who lived at 322 Lewiston Road or Hwy., Mitchell’s Township, Bertie County, NC.Earnest B. Hale’s occupation is listed as: Farmer.He was the brother of Thomas Hale.

IRIS “Puddin” PAYNE, age 6, daughter of Lesley J [39] amd Jeanette [29] Payne, both of whom were born in Virginia; living at 158 Broad Street.Occupation: Owner of a Stave Mill.Thomas Hall remembers the Stave Mill exploding when struck by lighting in 1939, killing several people.HONORS:Class Treasurer.Most Beautiful Girl.

* The full name of Jack Myers was Raleigh Beecher “Jack” Myers, Jr. [6 March 1922 – 10 August 1971] Born: Aulander, Bertie County, NC,. Died:Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, NC. Wife:Agnes Freeman.They lived in Hertford, NC.He was a retired Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force.He is buried in the Raleigh National Cemetery, Raleigh, NC.His father was: Raleigh B. Myers, Sr. of Aulander and his mother was Janie Morris.

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In 1930, several teachers, at the Aulander Graded School and High School lived on Broad Street.First, living at 159 Broad Street where Edward E. Ward, age 50, who is listed as head of household, lived with his wife Nellie, age 37.The four boarding teachers at Aulander Graded School were:Ms. Sarah E. Stone, age 25; Ms. Eva Norton, age 30; and Ms. Pattie Royster, age 26.The fourth boarder was Alice Cook, age 21, an Aulander High School Teacher.

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Two other teachers, Ms. Mary G. Pruden, at Aulander Graded School, and Ms. Ruth Stallings, at Aulander High School lived with Lesley J. and Jeanette Payne at 158 Broad Street in Aulander.

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Also, notice that the diploma for James Milton Harmon lists, as of 10 May 1939, the Aulander High School Principal, School Board Officials and Bertie County Superintendent.

The Principal of Aulander High School: S. V. Parker, Jr.

The Superintendent of Bertie County Schools:Herbert W. Early

Chairman of the Local Aulander School Board:Herbert Jenkins, Sr.

Secretary of the Local Aulander School Board:Lacy M. Early

Aulander, 1890

AULANDER and BERTIE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, 1890

The information on Aulander and Bertie County listed in this business directory, while brief, is important because of the absence of the United States Census for 1890, it burned in Washington, DC.

SOURCE:BRANSON’S NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL ALMANAC: FOR THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1890, AND, UNTIL THE 4TH OF JULY, THE 114TH YEAR OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE [Raleigh, NC: Levi Branson, Publisher, c. 1890]: 103 – 106.(Volume 3, Number 3, 23rd Year of Publication)

Aulander High School - Football Team - 1927 - 1928 - Photo from Thomas Hall, Class of 1950

Aulander High School Baseball Team - Spring, 1928 - Photo from Thomas Hall, Class of 1950

From: THE HERTFORD COUNTY HERALD [March, 1955], published in Ahoskie, NC

“Aulander Boys, Colerain Girls Are Bertie Tournament Champs”

Aulander. For the first time in three years the Wolfpack of West Bertie High School has suffered a defeat at the hands of a Bertie County team. Coach Joe Acree’s Green Demons of Aulander rode rough-shod over the defending champions Saturday night in the championsip game of the tournament and when the final whistle sounded the score stood Aulander 67, West Bertie 51.

The two teams will now meet on a neutral court to determine who will represent the county in the regional play-offs since West Bertie was the winner of the regular season play.

No less exciting was the finals in the girls’ division which saw Colerain defeating Merry Hill by a score of 51 to 48. The Colerain girls, defending champions were edged out for the season play by Merry Hill but came back to take the tournament championship on Friday night.

Other action on Friday night placed the Aulander girls as consolation winners over Windsor by a score of 36 to 34.

The Colerain boys won consolation honors in their division by defeating Windsor on Saturday night, 44 to 42, in a thrilling ball game.

Team sportsmanship awards were given to the Aulander boys and to the West Bertie girls.

The selection by the coaches placed the following boys on the all-conference team:

Misses Daniels, Dunning, Hall and Barnacascel were selected for the second consecutive year.

Attendance at the tournament was very good. Entertainment was furnished at halftime of each game.

PICTURE Inscription: AULANDER – A happy Aulander group faced the camera after defeating West Bertie in the final round of the tournament. They received trophies for the tournament championship and sportsmanship. Left to right: Sonny Bell, Paul McCaskey, Bubba Peele, Bro Parker, Pete Parker and Billy Chamlee. Back row: Thomas Powell, Dick Butler, Skipper Rowe, Reggie Terry and Jackie Bell.

Welcome Classes of 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959

Rachel's Welcoming Sign

Aulander High School Reunion - 18 April 2009

A Larger Picture Below in Left Hand Column

Aulander High School - 1928

from 1985 Centennial Booklet

Aulander High School

from the 1953 Annual, Carolyn Burden, Editor-in-Chief

Wording of the Above Quotation

As the rising sun is but apromise of the glorious day a-head, so our school days, richin experience and attainment;are the assurance of the gold-en future to come.

Aulander School, About 1944

Bertie County, NC Volunteer Family History Website

Aulander Street - About 1900

from a 1907 post card

The Green Demon - Cover 1956 Yearbook

Aulander Green Demons Fight Song

How many of you devoted some time to taking the water can and searching for that precious liquid in the wilds near our athletic school bus as it sat along the side of a road with steam bellowing from the overheated radiator? In the 1950s, remember our trips during the basketball season, when we had an away game? We would load the boys and girls basketball teams plus our cheerleaders on to this bus and rock it, to our appointed competitive destination, with conversation, laughter and singing. When we passed through any town, we lowered all the windows and sang, at the top of our voices, the following:

"When Aulander marches down the line,and everybody looks to see her shine,our colors green and white fly everywhere,it makes us happy when we see them flying there,we've come today to show our pep and vim,we've come today to show that we can win,we going to tie our colors everywhere,hurry up!Aulander! [sung "Au" "land" '"der!"] Rah! Rah!"

After the game, as the bus rattled home, everyone was very quiet and the windows, somehow, always seemed to fog up! How many of you have memories of these wonderful times when we were young?

Welcome Green Demons!

This blog aims to chronicle and preserve memories of our home town. All people with Aulander experiences or tall tales to share are invited to publish them here. You may either email them to me for publication or create your own email address at gmail, it is free as well as easy, and add stories as you wish. Also, if you wish to make comments on something published at this site you will need an email address at gmail. Again, an email address at gmail, like mine, is free. Gmail is powered as is this blog by Google, the most powerful search engine online. All good memories are welcomed!

INDEX: LEFT SIDE NARRATIVES AND PHOTOS (a click on a picture listed under 3 below enlarges it]

1. Pictures, from the Annuals, of the People in the Various Aulander High School Classes from 1953 through 1959. [Also, posted on the Flickr website at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35677085@N05/ by doubling clicking on a pictures posted in Flickr, it will enlarge]

2. Information on the Aulander High School Reunion - Saturday, 18 April 2009 at Catherine's Restaurant - 5:30 P.M.Classes of 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959.

Also, the names and class of the one hundred and ten [110] people attending the Aulander High School Reunion on Saturday, 18 April 2009 at Catherine's Restaurant beginning at 5:30 P. M. [Posted: March 1, 2008]

3. Group Pictures of the Girls and Boys Athletic Teams, May Courts, Cheerleaders, Bus Drivers and Elementary Classes including [in order of posting]: the Sam Batts Dancers; the Boy's Baskeball Team, 1954 - 55; the Class of 1957 as Sophomores; the 2001 Reunion for the Class of 1956; the baseball team for 1953 - 54; the baseball team for 1954 - 55; the FFA for 1953 - 1954; the boy's basketball team for 1955 - 56; the girl's basketball team for 1955 - 1956; the bus drivers (by popular request) for 1955 - 56; the football team for 1955 - 56; the Class of 1955 in Ms. Parker's 5th grade in 1948; part of the Class of 1956 in the 5th grade; and the Class of 1956 as Freshmen in 1952 - 53. [These pictures will enlarge if you double click on them.]

4. A History of the Town of Aulander from the 1985 Aulander Centennial Program as published at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/-ncbertie/aulander.htm

5. How the Spring Trip to New York City was Organized and Continued by the Class of 1956

7. The Parliamentary Procedure, Livestock Judging, Seed Judging and Field Day Teams at Aulander High School in the 1950s. [posted: Saturday, 21 February 2009]

8. Our Latest List of Addresses, Phone Numbers, and Email Addresses for the People in All Classes from 1955 through 1959. Please send corrections or additional information to: earl.bell3@gmail.com. It will be immediately posted.

People Attending the Class Reunion on April 18, 2009. Posted: March 16, 2009

UPDATED LIST OF THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THE REUNION ON SATURDAY, 18 APRIL 2009.

Monday, 16 MARCH 2009. [PLEASE READ THE MESSAGE AT THE END OF PAGE TWO.]

Everyone please check the information below and make sure it is accurate. If you do not appear on the list and should or if corrections are necessary please email them to Sonny at: earl.bell3@gmail.com or call him at [708] 481-2179. Also, if you prefer, email or call the contact person for your class.

NOTE: FOR CLASSMATES WHO MISSED THE MARCH 1 DEADLINE, WE HAVE THE SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN MORE PEOPLE WHO WISH TO ATTEND THE REUNION. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE CONTACT PERSON FOR YOUR CLASS.

REMEMBER: EACH DAY, WE POST NEW STORIES FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL DAYS AND NEW PHOTOS FROM THE ANNUALS PLUS PHOTOS FROM THE PERSONAL COLLECTIONS OF OUR CLASSMATES ON OUR AULANDER WEBSITE AT: http://www.aulander.blogspot.com ALSO, ALL PHOTO ADDITIONS APPEAR ON OUR FLICKR PHOTO SHARING WEBSITE AT: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35677085@N05/

Further, updates for our class events and the current addresses for about 95% of our classmates, from 1955 through 1959, are posted at our Aulander website. At the top of each column, on the Aulander website, there is an index for both the left side column and the right side column. The right side column posted photos can be enlarged for better viewing on Flicker. Photos posted on the left side column can be enlarged, in fact, they are even larger than the ones on Flickr. All photos on Flickr may be enlarged by a click on the photo. IF YOU WISH TO SEE THE PHOTOS OF YOURSELF AND YOUR CLASSMATES BUT DO NOT HAVE A COMPUTER, GO TO YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ENTER ONE OR BOTH OF THE ABOVE WEBSITE ADDRESSES IN ONE OF THEIR COMPUTERS FOR USE BY PATRONS. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM FINDING THE WEBSITES YOUR LOCAL LIBRARIAN WILL ASSIST YOU. ENJOY!

Enlarged Pictures of Classes at Aulander High School from 1953 through 1959

If you wish to enlarge the pictures for a particular class or all classes go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35677085@N05/ or simply click above on CLASS PICTURES ON FLICKR

Once it opens, bookmark it so it will be easier for you to return to the website.

You will need a Yahoo email address to use as your I.D. to use Flickr. Yahoo email addresses are free. I have one only to use the Flickr website. Everything is free including use of the site and the email address.

Also, everyone can add their own pictures to our Flickr website for sharing with all of the graduates from Aulander High School from 1953 through 1959. Enjoy!

The Sam Batts, Community House and Chowan River Dancers, 1954 - 56

The Hound's Around: The Sam Batts, Community House and Chowan River Dancers

“THE HOUND’S AROUND”: AULANDER ENTERS THE TIME OF ROCK AND ROLL, ASSISTED BY THE DANCING FEET OF THE SAM BATTS, COMMUNITY HOUSE AND CHOWAN RIVER DANCERS, 1954, 1955 and 1956.

Beginning in early 1954, we favored three places for food, music and companionship. At the outset, we were four sophomores and one freshman at Aulander High School in Aulander, Bertie County, North Carolina. Our after school hangout, Sam Batts' Café, combined the best food with a jukebox for listening and dancing. On Friday nights, the Aulander Community House came alive as we played music by the sharing of our 45s at dances that ran from 7 to 10 P.M.. These town destinations were supplemented with our nightly jaunts to the roadhouses along the Chowan River, from Winton to Colerain. Their jukeboxes and dance floors provided an additional place where we improvised and personalized our dancing styles. Most often, these hangouts were our socializing places, except on Saturday and Sunday nights or when some unavoidable conflict intruded. During these times, the five of us, four from the Class of 1956 and one from the class of 1957, danced tirelessly to a mind altering music labeled rock and roll by some disc jockey from a distant place called Cleveland. Much of our energy flowed from our enthusiasm and commitment, as a group of dancers, to finding the radio or television stations, record shops and jukeboxes to instruct us plus locating a sustainable number of reliable, safe places to workout. Our pursuit of the radio stations playing this “disturbing” music, was a day and night obsession, enhanced by the first generation of rock and roll disc jockeys who had come out to play. On the slowest nights, we would ride "the square," an area defined by heading north from the stoplight in Aulander, to the corner where Charlie and Lloyd Parker lived, then a left west to the first southbound surfaced road, south to the Aulander - Roxobel road and then east, through Bloodfield, to the stop light. On these drives, that we deliberately slowed to a crawl, someone was always working the radio dial looking for THE music. While our knowledge was limited, our curiosity was boundless, as we assimilated this “outrageous” music designed to satisfy our young souls. Of course, we had never heard of Muddy “Mississippi” Waters who once commented that without the blues there’s a hole in your soul! We would have replaced the word “blues” with the phrase “rock and roll!”

Nighttime was THE time for locating rock and roll DJs because of the increased capacity to find distant stations. Our favorite D.J. laid down his licks, from Buffalo, New York, beginning at 7 P.M., Aulander standard time. It was one of the nation’s first powerful rock and roll stations serving twenty states and parts of Canada [see: http://www.hounddoglorenz.com]. His theme was a slow, dirty, lowdown, funky tune that he interrupted with a hip, cool voice announcing: “The Hounds Around!” His lead music was similar to a Bill Doggett piece but played even slower. Our favorite theme song, that he frequently used, was called “The Big Heavy!” played by some cat calling himself “Cozy Eggleston.” We thought the Hound was just so cool! He referred to everyone as “Real Cool Cats!” all in a falsetto whisper using a low-keyed, measured, soft, strung-out cadence and a slight hiss at the end of each declaration. At this time, Wolfman Jack listened to the Hound from his home in Brooklyn and would later admit that he copied the format and much of his ground breaking style.

Another source for the music was a radio station, with programming that aimed to satisfy the musical preferences of the local brothers and sisters. It broadcast from Henderson, NC, with hip- talking DJs featuring all the soul singers who were attempting to cross over to take a little change from the pockets of white teenagers. I remember one of their DJs introducing Laverne Baker with “and now here comes Miss Laverne Baker, the hip shaker and a heart breaker!” The on-air comments by these DJs revealed their awareness that the station’s audience now included a rapidly increasing number of white teenagers from all over the Roanoke Chowan region, northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia.

In our dance group there was not a single spectator, everyone wanted to dance and, believe me, we did! Sam’s Record Store, owned by a brother, just off the main drag, in Ahoskie had an excellent collection of the music for us to consider. Also, he provided record players so that we could listen to the music before deciding what to buy. Obviously, Sam had a significant financial incentive in educating us on the music. We were his avid students! We proved, beyond doubt, that when teenagers are highly motivated to learn, in or out of school, the sky is the limit! While we did not always agree about the music, there was no doubt that we became an imaginative, hard working and information-sharing group of rock and roll learners. No study group in school could hold a candle to our cooperative embracing of this new music. We read, listened, watched and, most importantly, immediately applied our new knowledge on the dance floor. This approach is nothing less than a very modern, state-of-art learning strategy!

Remnants of the old ballroom dancing music of our parents still peculated at our social events, however, a new frantic style of dancing emerged riding the tidal wave created by songs like Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” [April, 1954], Little Richard’s “Tutti Fruiti” [1955], Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline” [1955] and Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll” [1954]. These songs were on the jukebox at Sam’s Café in Aulander, available for purchase from Sam’s Record Shop in Ahoskie and on the roadhouse jukeboxes along the Chowan. In these early days of rock and roll music, the "appropriate" styles of dance were diverse and hugely improvisational. Only later, did the artist and their record companies, begin to cut records for the purpose of creating a new dance to increase their profits. Without much discussion or planning we developed a routine that flourished from early in 1954 to the summer of 1956. For those of us in the Class of 1956, it was the time of our sophomore, junior and senior years at Aulander High School.

The scale of the change in popular music was substantially larger than we knew. Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Floyd Dixon and many more artists were introducing the city of Chicago to Mississippi Delta and East Texas roadhouse blues. The blues and church music, now called gospel, heavily influenced the birth as well as the direction of rock and roll. The signature instrument is the piano, in spite of the commercial emphasis, in the 1950s, on lead harmonicas and, later, electric guitars. If you have a heart, that churchy piano makes you lay your head over to one side as it sets up a song with a mellow introduction, then carries the melody to so many beautiful places just before it lays down the heavy licks on the most soulful parts for a bottomless list of rock and roll classics. Of course, the black folks who moved from Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to urban Chicago would not find the anticipated land of milk and honey. Their hard lives in this “Promised Land” gave the Delta blues a harder and more hip, cynical edge. When I hear the soulful harmonica players of Chicago it always brings back memories of the music I heard walking down the streets of Aulander in 1950s. The music to which I refer includes the funky versions of “Night Train” and “C. C. Rider” plus nearly all of the music of country singers like Hank Williams, the elder. In the mid-1950s, we knew absolutely nothing about the music of urban America. It was a golden edge for jazz with many of the nation’s finest performers in action including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Red Garland, the Duke and the Count, and many, many others. If I had known that John Coltrane and Nina Simone were born in North Carolina, out of unearned respect I would have listen to them very carefully. For me, I entered that magical world in the dorms my first year at Mars Hill College in the Blue Ridge of the Old North State. It was called "progressive" jazz which was and is, as one of Dave Brubeck’s LPs stated, “red hot and cool!” Sadly, these great jazz musicians were outside the range of our musical sensibility.

In these years, I do not remember a single Buddy Holly song on the jukeboxes in or near Aulander. Looking back, it seems that Madison Avenue poorly marketed music in rural-based small towns, like Aulander. At this early date, record distributors seem to have more of a say about what we listen to, even more influence than television, radio or mass marketing. Elvis might have been big after his six appearances on the Dorsey Brothers Stage Show, however, we rarely if ever danced to one his songs. Simply, we had large voids even in our conception of rock and roll music and that fact rendered our appreciation of these pirate vibes fascinatingly eccentric.

Our take of this rapidly changing music is expressed, in part, by our initial reaction to Elvis on television. On January 28, 1956, the date of his first national appearance, I was watching his first T.V. gig at Bill Chamlee’s house. On Saturday night, we regularly watched the Dorsey Brothers Stage Show. Elvis came out and sang a medley of “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Flip, Flop and Fly” and “I Got a Woman.” As far as I was concerned “Shake, Rattle and Roll” enjoyed a better cover by Joe Turner or Bill Haley, especially Joe Turner, who was my favorite singer of music for fast dancing. Also, I viewed “Flip, Flop and Fly” as a song he owned. Further, Ray Charles was without peer “getting down" on “I Got a Woman.” Probably most revealing was that when Elvis started gyrating across the stage we were, literally, in the floor laughing. He seemed like some odd, novelty singer, with a nervous, out-of-control pelvis. Little did we know, that we were watching the beginning of the tragic career for pop music’s biggest icon and a singer who would later be canonized at Graceland.

Another barrier to immediately and accurately figuring out Elvis that night was the bizarre mixture of pop music during these days. It was a time when novelty songs held their own on the nation’s jukeboxes with the fading romantic ballads, sung 40s style, and the building shaking throb of rock and roll. For example, some of my favorite, novelty songs included Andy Griffin’s “What it Was, Was Football!” [1953], Nervous Norvus singing “Transfusion” [1956] and, later in 1960, Larry Verne’s “Please Mr. Custer, I Don’t Want to Go,” which became number one on the national charts. All these songs played to a very receptive national audience. At this early stage, even rock and roll had no unity of message or form. It was simply wild and that only made us love it all the more. For, this quintet of dancers we did not view the music as a protest against our elders or the inherited dominate culture. We certainly did not view ourselves as being on the cutting edge of some social movement. Simply, the music was fun and, above all, much of it was perfect for dancing.

One other factor of importance, for a local perspective on the people’s music, is the fact, that in Aulander, a competition existed between various types of popular music. The wash and grease racks of my dad’s Gulf station witnessed a daily battle between hillbilly and soul music. Our one radio was constantly being shifted from one type of music to another, always over the protest of someone. I liked a little of both, however, rock and roll, often influenced by both these musical preferences, preached for me. The sirens of it could only be silenced by hours of dancing.

In the mid-1950s, Aulander might have been a small town located in farming country, yet, we found plenty of places to dance. First, as previously mentioned, the jukebox at Sam’s Café was a magnate for many us after school. As we walked to Sam’s, one guy or the other, would lead on a song like “Since I Fell for You” with an extended “You” and the others would followed him into singing it, with as much harmony as we could muster. We had good training for singing these romantic songs from all our years of making a joyful noise giving voice to the magnificent hymns that filled our churches! One night, standing under the town’s one stoplight, a perennial place of much debate, conversation and occasional mischief, a general agreement emerged, at least among the guys, that the best place to take a young woman on a date was, yes, believe it or not - a revival. Of course, this opinion was subject to much disagreement as were most topics in dispute under the halo of the Aulander stoplight. This same style of good humored argument could be heard or participated in at Red Lassiter’s barbershop, Stacy Nelson’s Drug Store and Francis Tayloe’s department store. In those days, if you harbored a deep abiding wish to lose a debate, go argue with Francis Tayloe and your need vanished. As we puzzled over one of his stories about politics and living, it became painfully evident that he had forgotten more than we knew!

Back to the café of one Mr. Sam Batts, our primary after school hangout. It is common knowledge that he was the best cook! He definitely had his own way of doing everything and, when it came to food and manners, he was a perfectionist, at least in his café and in his own mind. Rumor had it that, at one time, he had been a cook in a big hotel in Washington, DC. All we knew about him was that Sam cooked the best plate lunches, burgers and fries that a down-home, red-blooded American teenager could covet. Also, in the mid-1950s, he had a well-stocked jukebox filled with rock and roll. We danced to the numerous grooves on it by Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Joe Turner, the Platters and Bill Haley. Our daily routine was to go straight to Sam’s after school, lean into the food and then dance to the jukebox’s most pulsating music until propriety and keeping family relations harmonious required us to go home.

Most of us loved Sam’s quirkiness especially his occasional chases, with a big old knife, after some wise cracking boy. The way we saw it, all of them could use the run to work off a little steam! We knew he had a big heart and cared about us. Why not? We ranked among his most loyal customers and, probably more importantly, every afternoon his place came alive with our energy.

During these years, the deal involved dancing at the Aulander Community House every Friday night We played our 45s on a small portable record player. It possessed an excellent dance floor. On many hot, steamy nights we danced until we were soaked with sweat. After four or five consecutive fast dances, we would step outside in the night’s cooling air to briefly recover from our exertions. Even with television increasingly consuming our time, we did not need a fitness program to improve our health. As Jackie Wilson would later sing, we worked out, early and often! On these Friday nights, without planning, a routine evolved for those of us who loved to dance. We rarely missed dancing on a Friday night. Now, the guys viewed it as “square” to arrive at the dance with a date, however, it was even less cool to leave the dance without a lady. Simply, for some mysterious reason, we the people, who certainly could not be viewed as very cool, preferred seeing what the night would bring. As the 10 P.M. witching hour approached the music slowed down, the Platters moved in with their friends, brought twenty pieces of luggage, and dominated the music. Without a doubt, at the Aulander Community House, on Friday nights, the time between 9 and 10 P.M should be viewed as magical! It was an experience that helped everyone appreciate the joy of just being alive and young!

Every other night of the week, usually when sports permitted, we began hanging, especially in 1956, at the roadhouses between Winton and Colerain on the “beautiful, blue” Chowan River. I am not sure we ever knew the names of these places. We knew the essentials; namely, where they were located and how to get there. We harbored only one demand, that they have a jukebox and permit us to dance without interference.

Our parents knew very little about this routine, however, Aulander in those days was a very different kind of place. Most people did not lock their doors or remove their car keys at night. In fact, we had one convict, on a low security work gang, who stole the same car in Aulander three times. When someone asked the owner of the car, why he did not remove the key, he replied that he “would not live in a town where it was necessary to remove his car key!”

Sports dictated the nature of our nightly jaunts to the joints on the Chowan River much more than parental direction. Simply, in football season, since we did not have a lighted field, we practiced in the afternoons. During basketball season, the practices ended about 9 P.M., thus, we headed for Winton later at night and often did not return home until 1 or 2 in the A.M. Of course, our mothers knew enough. My mom, who was not a big fan of the judgment exercised by teenagers, always warned me about the dangers of such gallivanting, however, she never raised the subject with my father or said to me “do not go to those places anymore!” Thank you mother!

These haunts on the Chowan were a little rough. Their clientale included sailors from the Norfolk naval base and fights did occasionally occur. The owners as well as the customers knew we were just kids looking for a place to dance and have fun. No one ever bothered us and we certainly did not bother a solitary soul. In 2009, it is hard to imagine that anything like this is even possible. It is a small measure of a wonderful time when most teenagers, who called Aulander home, were assured of a congenial, protected and sensible adolescence. None of us were drinking, smoking or threatening anyone’s safety. Also, we were not protesting against anything. We were just moving on, nothing more or less than a group of friends, in love with dancing and committed to finding places that allowed us the freedom to “bust a move.” We were definitely some of the Hound’s “real cool cats!

In the time of McCarthy and the Red Scare, we were comrades of a different kind. In our view, the foundation for our bond did not flow from the usual sources but rather it originated in a collective embrace of a scintillating music, mastering the techniques of it and, most importantly, joyously, together, stomping it all out with our best moves. My comrades in these musical escapades were my classmates from Aulander High who answer to the names of Jenny, Anna, Pete and Skip! With the greatest affection, I say to y’all - thank you, thank you, thank you!